In spite of Paul Foster and Roger Johnson panning the STS and SM classes
we have found that STS, STR and SM are big enough here in Atlanta to
completely fill one of our 5 run groups at each event. We average about
170 entries per event and 20-25 of those entries are in STS, STR and SM.
STS, by far, makes up the bulk of those entries averaging about 15 per
event. However, SM is slowly growing. I expect to see a solid 5-10
entries per event in 2001.
We also have OSP which averaged 9 entrants per event in 2000.
BTW, Solo II has, by far, brought in more new members (and most of them
in these classes) to Atlanta region than from any other source.
However, having said all this, Roger has a very straightforward point
about how the economy affects our sport. If it slows down, expect to see
dramatically lower numbers running our events. It's been amazing to see
the obvious dollars spent on some of the STS cars we see at our events by
guys in their late teens and early twenties.
The dot.com types were flying high in 2000. Now that dot.coms are in the
dumper, it will be interesting to see what develops in 2001. Also, with
all the uncertainty about the election, now probably staying uncertain
well into 2001, expect to see a very soft stock market cutting into the
wealth of much of America. We live in interesting times.
Ben Thatcher
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